landmark

American  

[land-mahrk] / ˈlændˌmɑrk /

noun

• landmarks
  plural

1. a prominent or conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide, especially to ships at sea or to travelers on a road; a distinguishing landscape feature marking a site or location.

   The post office served as a landmark for locating the street to turn down.

2. something used to mark the boundary of land.

3. a building or other place that is of outstanding historical, aesthetic, or cultural importance, often declared as such and given a special status landmark designation, ordaining its preservation, by some authorizing organization.

4. a significant or historic event, juncture, achievement, etc..

   The court decision stands as a landmark in constitutional law.

   Synonyms:

   benchmark, watershed, milestone

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verb (used with object)

1. to declare (a building, site, etc.) a landmark.

   a movement to landmark New York's older theaters.

landmark British  

/ ˈlændˌmɑːk /

noun

1. a prominent or well-known object in or feature of a particular landscape

2. an important or unique decision, event, fact, discovery, etc

3. a boundary marker or signpost

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unlandmarked
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• landmarks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of landmark

before 1000; Middle English; Old English landmearc. See land, mark ¹

Explanation

A landmark is anything that helps you know where you are — in space, in time, in history. If you’re sailing from Europe to New York, the Statue of Liberty will be the landmark that lets you know you’re in the right port. If you’re walking to your cousin’s house, the pizza shop on the corner is the landmark that lets you know you just have two blocks to go. Getting your driver’s license is a landmark event, as was the Revolutionary War — though which battle was harder is yours to determine.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

landmark landmarks

On the same day that OpenAI published its landmark proof, a researcher quit Anthropic over safety concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Unlike recent COPs -- where nearly 200 nations forged landmark pacts on phasing down coal or moving away from fossil fuels -- the negotiation agenda at COP31 is light on big-ticket items.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

Health Minister Robbie Butler said Northern Ireland was the first of the UK nations to provide a 24/7 thrombectomy service for its entire population, which he described as a "landmark moment".

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

“Conceived on a grand architectural scale, this landmark residence balances timeless grandeur with thoughtful functionality, creating a true trophy property for the most discerning collector of fine real estate,” the listing adds.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

The Athena Parthenos was the tallest landmark for miles around.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

LA28’s route promises to pass through iconic cities and landmarks, but Wasserman is most keen on carrying the torch through small towns, per advice he received from Payne.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

But the German capital has long been defined by its contrasts: Historic landmarks and world-class museums stand alongside Brutalist architecture, independent fashion labels and one of Europe’s most influential contemporary art scenes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

The eastern city of Baalbek has one of Lebanon's best-known landmarks: a stunningly well-preserved Roman temple complex set against the mountainous border with Syria.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

Record heatwaves have endangered tourists visiting US landmarks throughout the summer.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

So they spent the summer making their own frugal way among the scientific landmarks of Europe.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• marker
• memorial
• milestone
• monument
• museum
• tree